MBB: NESCAC

[polbear73]

Fear not, JEFFFAN, there is too much talent and coaching for Amherst NOT to be causing major damage in the conference.  Particularly when it counts toward the playoffs.

[Old Guy]

I watched the second half of the Williams-Salem State game. Williams was better than Salem State. That's my astute analysis. They ran their offense, got easier shots. Everything SS did was hard. When I watch these games on-line every game looks like a rec league game - I get so little sense of the energy or excitement of the in-person, in-the-gym experience. 

I like Greenman - steady, quick, not flashy, careful with the ball. He doesn't look for his shot, but he'll stick one if you ignore him (only 1-4 yesterday though). Galvin is no slouch at the point either, confident bringing the ball up and distributing.

Rooke-Ley is tough. Yesterday, he'd get the ball on the right wing, drive hard to the hoop, across the lane to his left, get fouled, hit his free throws, 16 points, easy game.

Kilcullen is misleading. Inbounds the ball after a hoop, lopes up the floor, sets up low, does a little bit of this and a little bit of that, kills you at the line (9-10, same as Rooke-Ley), ends up with a pretty nice line (13-7).

Wohl is Wohl.

This Williams team doesn't intimidate like in the Wang-Whittingham old days, and they're thin, but a pretty effective group.

[amh63]

Strange game at Drew last night.  Details of scoring and game in the SID post on the Amherst website.  The 7pm game started on 8PM!  Video stated an unforeseen event had delayed the game.  Considering the calls by the refs..that delayed the game, I'm wondering if Drew called around and asked some local guys to ref the game.  Must remember the "new rules" are in play this year...put in to reduce the rough play.
The Amherst posters picked up some of my thoughts.  Dawson started the game and after being called for an intentional foul, was taken out and never returned...13 minutes on the floor. Took several outside shots with better shooters standing about.   Reid Berman put in and played good defense and made a personal high 8 assists!
Several other personal observations.....in a game that I believe helped a young team gain confidence in their ability to win a tough come from behind game.
The Drew gym is a small place...even smaller than the Bates' beloved hot box?  Good rehearsal for future visits to Bates for this youthful team.
Though, Amherst started the game with their two soph " bigs", in the second half, they were rotated.
Do not know if it was because of the cited injuries or because of a need to have a quicker defensive team.
Amherst had one big and four smaller players on the floor for 2nd half.  Reid and Connor Green were the shortest....the others were all at 6' 5"....Racy, Mac and Rio.  They played tough defense and came back from a halftime deficit to a nine point lead with around a minute and half to go.  Mistakes were made  during the period...but it helped the team to see the comeback....with the bench cheering and clapping when some calls went their way.  Amherst won the rebound battle...everyone contributed.
Me, it was a tense time watching online...but I had a good feeling at the end...oh yes, the video froze with a few seconds to go!  Close game via the score, but a much needed road win.
One of the announcers on the UConn. MBB game, I watch today mentioned that there were a seemly large number of close or OT games this holiday period.  Guess one can add the Amherst game to the others...including the Williams win.
Hoya73...your post confirmed my expectation.  Was wondering if this game was one that Coach Hixon was allowing one of his assistants to take the lead.  Or was your son trying to calm him down after the first 10 min. ?

[toad22]

I may be completely wrong about this observation, since I am often wrong, just ask my wife, but I have never seen, in at least 25 years, a NESCAC championship which seems as wide open. Every team seems to have serious problems, and at the same time quite wonderful positive attributes. Almost any team in the league could run the table and I could recite the irrefutable reasons why that has happened. Everybody seems so similar to everybody else. There are at least 9 teams that have a real chance to win it all. Of course, I hope that my team, Williams, is the one to grasp the brass ring, but I would be lying if i said that there was any certainty in that assertion. Good luck to everyone, I just  hope the we all stay healthy, and that the victory go to the best among us!

[jumpshot]

The parity in NESCAC men's basketball at the moment suggested by toad22 reminds me of the level of play years ago prior to explicit recruiting, competitive pressures to match rival schools, admission of high impact players, etc. The current rosters have players, as in days of yore, with multiple interests, varying degrees of conditioning and passion, a bit less than fully engaged, still capable of occasional exceptional individual and team performances. Sort of NESCAC "light" ---refreshing and less intense ....undoubtedly short-lived as administrators and coaches are scrambling to re-gain dominance as you read this post.

No roads leading to Salem this year, yet standby for those whose self-worth is influenced by living through the accomplishments of the players and teams.

[AmherstStudent05]

Toad,

In 2000-01 five NESCAC teams finished tied atop the standings with a record of 6-3.  This was the year before I first got to Amherst, so I have no idea if the conference was generally considered to be wide open at the outset of that season, but it certainly ended up that way.  Definitely agree though that this is as wide open as the NESCAC has been in recent memory.  Makes me really miss walzy's presence here.  Capping these early conference games would really put his genius to the test!

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

d-mac, considering that Goucher is 1-8 and Amherst is going to have three weeks to stew over two straight blow-out losses at home, well ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn57LgM_0pw

This comes from the "stating the obvious" department

[middhoops]

A year ago, Midd arrived around 5 hours late to play Salve Regina and never warmed up.
Today Salve rode the bus to Vermont where a much healthier Panther squad did about whatever they chose. 
Matt Daley played sparse and effective minutes.  Dylan Sinnickson had 24 and 14.  12 off. boards made for a good afternoon. 
Matt St. Amour had 16 pts. and 8 assists.

[warriorcat]

I just looked at the Midd/Salve box score.  Pringle DNP Does anyone know why not?  Barrett Hanlon, the key to last year's success, played in his first game of the year.  With their lack of size and experience, Salve needs both Hanlon and Pringle on the floor and in sync.  Otherwise, there will be many games like this afternoon for them.

[maineman]

I just looked at the Midd/Salve box score.  Pringle DNP Does anyone know why not?  Barrett Hanlon, the key to last year's success, played in his first game of the year.  With their lack of size and experience, Salve needs both Hanlon and Pringle on the floor and in sync.  Otherwise, there will be many games like this afternoon for them.

Pringle is no longer on the roster.  They said he is retired due to injury since he will not recover this season.

[ronk]

d-mac, considering that Goucher is 1-8 and Amherst is going to have three weeks to stew over two straight blow-out losses at home, well ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn57LgM_0pw

This comes from the "stating the obvious" department

Dave, O ye of little faith!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I just looked at the Midd/Salve box score.  Pringle DNP Does anyone know why not?  Barrett Hanlon, the key to last year's success, played in his first game of the year.  With their lack of size and experience, Salve needs both Hanlon and Pringle on the floor and in sync.  Otherwise, there will be many games like this afternoon for them.

Pringle was the conference POY two years ago.  He suffered a massive injury, losing all of last year.  He's just not been the same since his return.  I imagine he's called it a career.  I had them as CCC favorites with both Hanlon and Pringle ready to go.  Now it looks like they'll be mid-pack at best.  Still and impressive display from Middlebury tonight.  With Amherst's embarrassing (no way else to term it) OT extravaganza with Goucher, the boys from Vermont might just be on the top of the NESCAC heap.

[amh63]

Just got back from the Goucher game.  Amherst had another character building game...and another win...in OT.  Different game and this one was a nail bitter in the last 30 sec. of regulation.
First...saw the Man of Hoopsville staring into this computer.  Game was video cast...available within 4 hours of the start...7:30.  Saw a bunch of Amherst fans from all over.  Ben Pollack's parents were down and also D. George's parents.  Even met the parents of Bowdoin's PG Mathais again.
Amherst seemed have the game under control....ahead by 6-7 points at halftime and had a double digit lead for most of the 2nd half.  Then Goucher players started to hit baskets...outside 3's and inside 3's...shot with a foul.
Do not want to talk about the refs again but it seems that the league that have both Drew and Goucher should look to upgrade their people in the stripped shirts.  Smiled when I heard complaints from Alums older than me...a old friend of mine from Baltimore..Class of '62.
Anyway, Amherst's lead that was as high as 16 became a deficit of 3 with 5 seconds to go.  Johnny Mac came down and tied the game with a 3 point shot.  In OT, the lead went up to 7 and the game could have been higher if foul shooting improves.
Even my wife found the game interesting....a first!  In any case, Amherst has another big road game on Tuesday...ECSU.....a highly ranked team that is playing well.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yep... computer allows me to keep track of stats and tweet

[Vandy74]

To a man the Panthers looked sharp this afternoon and a few bench players who are usually used sparingly got some extended court time and showed the crowd why they were recruited in the first place.  That's good because the next stop is Plattsburgh, always a quality opponent and the only one who flat out whupped us last season.  Even the regular season ending debacle at Lefrak had Middlebury leading by 4 at the half.  But without using a few choice four-letter based Anglo-Saxon derivatives words cannot adequately express what the Cardinals did to the Panthers in Pepin that evening.  This coming Tuesday it's time to balance the books in their house.  It won't be easy.